In a video posted on Facebook by Chegondi Chandrashekar, the garlanded devotee is seen sitting on the priest's shoulders with his hands joined together. The priest, who is in his fifties, wades through a crowd of people as they film the unique ritual.
The temple priest has apparently performed “Muni Vahana Seva”, (a 2,700-year-old ritual famous in Tamil Nadu), at Ranganatha Swamy temple in Jiyaguda in the city.
Giving a back-story to what prompted him to do the Seva, Rangarajan said, “In January, I was part of a round-table conference (in Osmania University), which discussed how backward caste communities are denied entry into the temple.
Since ‘Sanathana Dharma’ has treated everybody equally before the god, I came forward to reinstate it by doing the Muni Vahanai Seva,” adding, “The prime objective of this gesture is to propagate equality. The ritual coincided with the 1,000th birth anniversary celebrations of Vaishavaite saint Ramanucharya, who preached equality of human beings. So we did the activity like an utsavam (festival).”
When asked how he picked up Aditya, he reveals, “I approached one of the Dalit associations to lookout for someone who is a thin devotee (since I am an old man). They referred to Aditya, who eats only once a day and follows all the Hindu customs.”
A visibly excited Aditya, who is a Brahmachari and a devotee of Goddess Devi, said that he was honoured to receive such a warm welcome. He added that it could be the beginning of breaking the barriers of social evils like untouchability and caste discrimination, etc., which is dividing the country.
Amid Vedic chants, 400-year-old Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, located on the banks of Musi River in Jiyaguda here, witnessed a rare incident wherein a Hindu priest took a Dalit man by carrying on his shoulders into the temple's inner sanctum to proclaim that all are equal before God. In the backdrop of growing attacks on Dalits across the country and allegations that Constitutional safeguards for SCs are being watered down by the successive governments, the high priest of Lord Balaji Temple in Chilkur, CS Rangarajan, on Monday performed this unique ceremony, named "Munivahana Seva" at the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple. During the rite, the 60-year-old priest at first carried the Dalit devotee, named Aditya Parasri, who resides in the nearby locality, on his shoulders. Later, the priest circumambulated around the temple by holding the devotee on his shoulders, for three times. After, that, even as the temples' surroundings were echoing with the chants of Lord Vishnu, Rangarajan conveyed the man into the temple's inner place. Later, the chief priest helped the Dalit man have the darshan of presiding deity, besides making him offer prayers at the sanctum sanctorum. During the ritual, the priest Rangarajan was accompanied by former MP S Venugopala Chary, temple trustees and officials of the endowments department. After that, referring to a Hindu legend, the priest claimed that the ritual was first performed in Tamil land about 2,000 years ago. According to the legend, a sage by name Loka Saaranga came to the river Kaveri for drawing water for the Sri Ranganatha Temple located at Sri Rangam. Then, after an incident, Saaranga carried an "outcaste" man, who had belonged to Paanar community, traditionally treated as untouchables as per the Tamil hagiographical literature, into the inner sanctum of the temple, on the command of Lord Vishnu. After which, the Paanar man was called Thiruppaan Alvar or Thirupaanazhwar and attained sainthood. Rangarajan, who is heading the Telangana Temples Protection Movement seeking freedom for temples from government, said, "While performing religious rituals at Chilkur Balaji Temple everyday, I interact with the devotees in order to know their views on our Dharma. One Dalit devotee, who was observing Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha, wanted to know from me, if all are equal before god, why Dalits who observe Ayyappa Deeksha, are asked to prepare their food, separately. After that, some Dalit intellectuals pointed out about the recent attacks on SCs in the country. Then, I told them that Hindu Dharma treats all men equally. I informed them about the incident of Sage Loka Saaranga carrying an outcaste man on his shoulders into the Ranganatha Temple, 2,000 years ago. Then, the asked me to do the same now. Immediately, I accepted." (text courtsey The New Indian Express)
Posted by Chegondi Chandrashekar on Tuesday, 17 April 2018
The 25-year-old devotee hoped the move would lead to a change in mindsets.
"Being a dalit, my family was oppressed and was humiliated when I was denied entry into Lord Hanuman temple in my native Mahbubnagar. This practice is still existent in several temples," he said. "I hope this is just the beginning of change."
CS Rangarajan, who performed the Muni Vahana Seva, said that he performed the ritual in an attempt to fight the discrimination against Dalits in the society.
“You have seen how knowledgeable Aditya is. He probably has more knowledge about the Vedic scriptures than members of your own family. Such a person was denied entry into the Lord Hanuman Temple! So when somebody approached me and asked if I would do something for him, I readily agreed,” Rangarajan shared.
“The primary objective of this ritual, however, is to promote equality between all human beings. This ritual is also coinciding with the 1000th birth anniversary of Vaishavaite saint Ramanucharya, whoalways preached equality among everyone. So, we performed this activity like a festival,” the Chilkur Balaji priest added.
Posted by Chegondi Chandrashekar on Tuesday, 17 April 2018
According to the legend, a sage by name Loka Saaranga came to the river Kaveri for drawing water for the Sri Ranganatha Temple located at Sri Rangam.
Then, after an incident, Saaranga carried an "outcaste" man, who had belonged to Paanar community, traditionally treated as untouchables as per the Tamil hagiographical literature, into the inner sanctum of the temple, on the command of Lord Vishnu. After which, the Paanar man was called Thiruppaan Alvar or Thirupaanazhwar and attained sainthood.
Rangarajan, who is heading the Telangana Temples Protection Movement seeking freedom for temples from government, said, "While performing religious rituals at Chilkur Balaji Temple everyday, I interact with the devotees in order to know their views on our Dharma.
One Dalit devotee, who was observing Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha, wanted to know from me, if all are equal before god, why Dalits who observe Ayyappa Deeksha, are asked to prepare their food, separately.
After that, some Dalit intellectuals pointed out about the recent attacks on SCs in the country. Then, I told them that Hindu Dharma treats all men equally. I informed them about the incident of Sage Loka Saaranga carrying an outcaste man on his shoulders into the Ranganatha Temple, 2,000 years ago. Then, the asked me to do the same now. Immediately, I accepted."
